


Virnë

by Ilya_Boltagon, Inwiste



Series: Peredhil [2]
Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Secret, Fantasy, Gen, Grief, Magic, Maiar blood, Misplaced Anger, Separated Family, Shapeshifting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2020-04-16
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:08:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23687422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ilya_Boltagon/pseuds/Ilya_Boltagon, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inwiste/pseuds/Inwiste
Summary: Arwen is long gone to the West, accompanied by Maglor, but her brothers Elladan and Elrohir still stand on the pier from which her ship departed to Valinor. Heightened emotions and an argument lead the twins to a shocking discovery about the powers of their bloodline.This takes place immediately after the end of Eleni i Fuin: Stars and Shadows. Reading that story will make this one-shot far less confusing regarding what is happening and why. Co-authored by Ilya_Boltagon (me) and the wonderful Inwiste.
Relationships: Celebrían & Elladan & Elrohir (Tolkien), Celebrían/Elrond Peredhel, Elladan & Elrohir & Elrond Peredhel, Elladan & Elrohir (Tolkien)
Series: Peredhil [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1645723
Comments: 13
Kudos: 25





	Virnë

Elladan's breast heaved with suppressed emotion as he stood at his twin brother's side, both of them staring out to sea. The ship that had borne Arwen and Maglor away from them had long since been lost to sight, and their parents and grandparents had retreated from the dock, letting Cirdan lead them inside, but neither of the twins could bring themselves to move, remaining where they were as the Sun descended and the gulls wheeled and shrieked overhead.

How could the act of something that they had known, for some time, would be necessary, for their little sister's sake, _hurt_ so much?

There were tears on Elrohir's face. Elladan knew that without even needing to look. Why, he wondered, could his brother express grief so easily, while he felt the same pain but could not outwardly show it?

Elrohir put his hand on Elladan's shoulder but he shook it off. Anger simmered within him. He wished he could turn back time to before this horrific ordeal. He had cursed the name of Morgoth and his wretched servants many times since they found his sister's broken body at the remnants of the black fortress, but it was never enough, and it would not bring his sister and his daeradar back. His very muscles and bones seemed to knot and twist uncomfortably- perhaps he had been standing still for too long? He began pacing back and forth on the stone dock, hoping to relieve the strange aches, to no avail.

“Elladan-” Elrohir's voice faltered. He shook his head, swallowing hard. “I know this hurts, but... it will get better. With time.” His words fell flat, and it was clear even he did not believe them. Nonetheless, he persevered. “We still have Adar and Naneth, muindor. They will need us now. More than ever.”

Elladan spun around to face his brother, ready to spit a bitter retort but faltered at the anguished look on his brother’s face. He took his brother’s hands in his and rested his forehead against Elrohir’s forehead. “Brother, I know they shall need us but what of Arwen? She and Daeradar will be alone in Valinor.” He paused, gathering his thoughts. His thoughts were scattered across his mind and he felt at war with himself. Part of him wished to jump in the sea and swim after his sister despite him knowing how futile those efforts would be. “She has been through so much and now she is suffering more. I fear this is our fault for not paying closer attention to her and her actions. Maybe if we had, she would still be here with us.”

Elrohir choked back a sob at his words. "Do you not think I have the same thoughts? But dwelling upon them now, when the past cannot be changed... Assigning blame to ourselves will not change anything!" He broke away from Elladan abruptly, taking a few rapid steps, then pausing, lifting his arm and rolling back the sleeve of his tunic. "Elladan?" His voice shook as he slowly turned once again, revealing his exposed arm. And the numerous raised barbs that looked almost like quills that were beginning to tear through his flesh.

Elladan could not believe his eyes. A strange, unearthly glow enveloped his twin, causing Elladan to avert his eyes. Within seconds, his brother was replaced by a falcon hopping around on the dock. “Elrohir?” He whispered, still in shock. The bird turned to him and squawked, flapping its wings frantically. He backed away from it in a mixture of fear and awe, not realizing how close to the edge of the dock he was. Elladan felt his left foot flail in the air before he lost his balance and tumbled backwards, towards the sea. He braced himself for impact with the cold water below, but it never came. The young Peredhel slowly became aware of his arms moving, but when he looked at them, all he saw was black wings. He opened his mouth to cry out in shock, but instead heard the clicking of a beak and a high-pitched shrieking sound, very different to the wails of the gulls. He continued moving his arms (wings), but now that he thought about what he was doing, the rhythm was lost, and he fell-face first onto the dock. As he struggled to regain his feet, his heart pounded- surely this was some strange dream! Finally managing to stand, marveling at the overlarge clawed feet he now possessed, the other falcon staggered and wobbled its way towards him, letting out its own cry of alarm.

 _Elladan?!_ Elrohir's call, heard in Elladan's mind, was more frightened than he ever recalled hearing before. _What is happening?_

 _I do not know, Elrohir. I saw you changed. I fell and I was suddenly also a bird. We have to find Adar._ He started to wobble his way to where Lord Cirdan had led his adar and naneth earlier, with his brother following closely behind. It took them some time and Elladan fell several times, but they eventually made their way to the door where they squawked, hoping someone would be able to hear them.

At last, a shadow passed the door on the inside, and it opened abruptly, revealing Adar.

“Elladan! Elrohir! You both need to come inside now.” He called in a loud, clear voice. His silver eyes were locked on the dock, just visible from the house, and he had not looked down yet and seen them.

“Kreee!” The sound Elrohir let out was almost desperate, but Elladan knew why- even if they were noticed, how could they communicate who they were?

Adar started at the sound of the falcon's cry coming from just in front of him, upon the ground, and he glanced down. Seeing (presumably) two identical falcons, staring up at him, his eyes widened, and he stepped outside fully, pulling the door closed behind him, before kneeling in front of them.

Neither of the twins moved, unsure of what he was doing.

“Elladan. Elrohir.” Adar's voice was a whisper, his voice cracking. “I should have known this was bound to happen to my children as well. One way or another.”

The twins exchanged stunned looks (Elladan taking a second to reflect how odd it was to have a head that turned to such an angle, so different to an elf!)

 _Adar.... knows about... this?_ Elrohir seemed as if he could not make sense of his own words. _How?!_

* * *

“Take deep breaths and imagine yourself. Just as you would see yourself in the mirror, in elven form. Concentrate.” Their adar was sitting cross legged across from them on the pier with his hands folded in his lap. No explanation had been offered to the young Peredhil twins by their adar. Instead, he had gone straight to helping them transform back into their regular forms.

Elladan took a deep breath and envisioned himself as he would appear if he were standing in front of the mirror in his room. He breathed in and out, and looked himself up and down, starting at his head and moving down to his boots. The young Peredhel didn’t notice the change occurring until his father placed his hand on his shoulder and he opened his eyes to see himself sitting on the ground in a manner similar to his father. Elladan looked over and saw his brother in the same position, as shocked as he was. Their adar sighed in relief at the sight of his sons sitting before him and rubbed his face. “I have something I need to tell you. It concerns your heritage. As you know, you are distantly related to Melian, wife of Elu Thingol. One of the most powerful Maiar to exist on Arda, with the exception of Eönwë and Sauron.” He took a deep breath before continuing. “One of the powers of the Maiar is the ability to shapeshift into any form they choose. One of the powers that has been observed throughout our line is the ability to turn into birds.” He paused once more and Elladan could see a somber look in his eyes, as if he were reliving a distant memory. His face hardened and the look was blinked away. “Come inside now. We shall discuss this more later.”

“But-” Elladan was the first to speak, bursting with questions, so many that he could not decide what to ask first.

“Why didn't you tell us of this before, if you knew it might happen to us?” Elrohir, evidently, felt the same, unable to simply keep quiet and do as Adar had asked. Something occurred to him, and he took a breath, bringing up a subject that they did not normally discuss. “Is this ability related to Elwing's once changing form, to escape Sirion?”

Elladan interrupted quickly, changing the subject as their father's face darkened. “Are you capable of this... shape-shifting? You said it is in our bloodline. Could you and Uncle Elros once-”

“Enough!” Elrond's voice was uncharacteristically harsh, but there was pain in his eyes. “I said, we will discuss this later, when I have had time to think.” He turned to go, clearly expecting them to follow, then stopped and looked back at them. “And I must ask you not to bring this up to your mother at present. She has enough to cope with at the moment without adding to her burdens.”

Elladan’s face hardened at his father’s tone. He simply nodded and his father went inside, leaving them out on the pier. He looked at Elrohir and saw a similar expression on his twin’s face. _We will find answers if Adar will not tell us._

His twin looked at him with a grim face and nodded. _I know. There is much more that he is not telling us._ The twins straightened up and pulled stoic looks onto their faces before going inside and shutting the door behind them, leaving the pier empty.

Their silent conversation continued as they slowly made their way to the guest room they were using at the Grey Havens, deep in thought.

 _Adar said not to ask Naneth, but she must know something about this._ Elladan mused.

 _Yes, but she will tell Adar without a doubt if we start asking questions_. Elrohir frowned. _Besides, he was right in a way, we do not wish to worry or vex her more at present. Not so soon after losing Arwen_.

 _But who else is there?_ Elladan wanted to throw his hands up in despair, but paused. _Lord Cirdan knew Elwing, did he not? And he has known Adar since his youth... surely if anyone has answers, he will_.

They froze when they rounded the corner and saw their Adar and Naneth blocking the door to their guest room. _Elrohir, what is happening?_

 _I do not know. Why would I have any idea of why Adar and Naneth are standing at our door, when I have been outside with you the whole time?_ The twins resumed their walk and stopped in front of their parents, both of them noting the defeated expression on their Adar’s face and the stern expression on their Naneth’s.

“Elladan, Elrohir, your Adar has something to say.” She looked at Adar with an unreadable expression and he sighed before turning to the young Peredhil twins.

“Penneth nin, I am sorry for my reaction earlier. The loss of your sister and Maglor, added to the discovery of your powers caused me to react in an inexcusable way. You deserve answers. Now, let me give them to you.” Adar closed his eyes and the twins watched, enraptured, as a soft glow emanated from him and a small raven with a white neck replaced him. The bird tilted its head at them and flew up to their Naneth, landing on her shoulder. She seemed unfazed by the events transpiring, as she simply smiled at the bird and then at her sons. The raven stayed on her shoulder for a minute before moving back to the floor again and transforming back into their adar amid a similar glow.

The twins were silent for a long minute, then both began speaking at once.

“Adar, why haven't you shown us this before?”

“Have you always been able to do that?”

Adar's face was drawn with sadness and pain, and their enthusiasm faltered. Why did he look as if something so wonderful was making him miserable?

Thankfully, Naneth stepped in. “Your Adar has had this ability for as long as he has lived, ionnath nin. So did his brother, Elros, until he chose the life of the Secondborn. It is a wonderful gift and I feel blessed that you share it too, but it has also been a source of pain for your Adar. Trust us, we feel so blessed that you share this ability. However, it will take time for your Adar to fully embrace it once again.”

Elladan and Elrohir exchanged looks, understanding beginning to dawn. If their Uncle Elros had shared this gift, the only one besides Adar to do so in their youth, and he had chosen to give it up when he chose a Mortal existence, it was no wonder that Adar had turned away from it also.They suddenly felt ashamed at having hurt Adar, despite knowing that none of this was their fault. Moving as one, they quickly closed the distance between themselves and him, and wrapped their arms around him with Elladan on his left side and Elrohir on his right.

Adar sighed and wrapped his arms around them and pulled them closer before pressing a kiss on the crowns of their heads. “Never feel that I am not proud of you. I am, more than anything. I am pleased to know that the powers I have were passed down to you. It pains me to see you fly and be reminded of your uncle, and the joy we once shared, but it also fills me with happiness. Do not ever feel ashamed to use your powers. They are your gifts. Use them wisely.” He did not mention Elwing, his birth mother, the only one of their line who was widely known to be able to take the form of a bird, but neither of the twins pressed the issue- Elwing had always been a difficult topic where Adar was concerned.

“Will you teach us to control this power, Adar?” Elrohir ventured, his words uncertain. “Earlier, we did not intend to change, it just... happened.”

Elladan nodded, despite suspecting his brother was up to something- he had that gleam in his eye that often meant trouble. _What are you plotting, muindor?_

 _Nothing, but if Adar teaches us, then perhaps he will regain some joy in this ability. Do you truly think he will allow us to take to the skies without flying alongside us in case of danger?_ Smugness practically radiated from Elrohir, although his face was blank.

Elrond sighed heavily, before nodding. “I will.” He straightened. “Apart from anything else, it would not do to have either of you partially transform into a falcon in the midst of a diplomatic meeting.”

“Thank you, Adar!” The twins hugged him once more before releasing him and moving back.

Naneth smiled at them, a bit of joy shining through the weariness in her eyes. “Not tonight, though, penneth nin. Your Adar and I need to rest and so do you. We have a long journey back to Imladris, and Arwen-” She stopped and a look of pain flashed across her face. “You should go to bed. It’s late.” She turned away from them, not quite quickly enough to hide the tears in her eyes. Adar moved to her side, embracing her as they walked inside, and for the time being, the twins' newly discovered abilities were forgotten.

Elladan and Elrohir followed their parents, their shoulders slumped, reminded again of their loss, despite still feeling the adrenaline-induced rush of their transformations.

 _I wonder if, someday, Arwen will gain the same ability, once she recovers?_ Elladan mused.

Elrohir looked thoughtful. _Perhaps. If we have done so, I see no reason why she would not. Adar said the powers runs in our bloodline, though it must be a secret. Most believe Elwing's bird form to be a gift granted by Ulmo. But if Adar has the ability, and Uncle Elros did, and now, so do we... eventually, our sister surely will as well._ He gazed up at Ëarendil's star, just beginning to rise, and a faint light of hope shone in his eyes. _The sky is the same throughout Arda. Each time we manage to fly, once we have learned how to do so, we can think of our sister. And eventually, when she masters this power, she will fly as well. We will be together in the same sky, even if we cannot see one another_.

Elladan smiled at the thought, taking his brother's hand, both twins taking comfort in that thought. Knowing that, eventually, their sister would discover her own avian form and fly in the same endless skies they were soon to explore, providing a link, however tenuous, between their lives, here in Middle-Earth, and Arwen's, in Valinor...

It made the future that stretched before them, the long years in which they would be bereft of their little sister, missing the rest of her childhood, seem a little less empty and bleak.

* * *

**Elvish Translations:**

**Penneth nin: my young ones (literally 'young ones mine'.)**

**Daeradar: Grandfather.**

**Adar: Father.**

**Naneth: Mother.**

**Muindor: Brother.**

**Ionnath nin: My sons (literally 'sons mine'.)**

**Author's Note:**

> The title of this story, Virnë, is a Quenya Elvish word that means change. Hopefully its use makes sense by the end of the story.


End file.
